On Monday, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) raised alarms regarding what it called harassment and interrogation of Maldivians residing in Sri Lanka amid President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s current official trip.

In a statement, the MDP announced that it had learned that Sri Lankan authorities had interrogated four Maldivians, including a person who formerly served at the Maldivian High Commission under the previous government. The party stated that the people were interviewed regarding their political opinions about the President.

The MDP reported that Sri Lankan police had urged the Maldivians to avoid the community meeting arranged with the President and tried to get their signatures on documents written in Sinhala.

The party claimed that the acts were executed under the direction of the existing Maldivian government or in collaboration with it, asserting that the events represented efforts to sway Maldivians residing overseas for political reasons. The statement indicated that Sri Lankan police examined the personal items and phones of certain individuals for over two hours.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of Maldives and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of Sri Lanka met in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on May 4, 2026. (Image/Office of the President)

The MDP stated that the events posed significant concerns regarding the oversight of political opinions by the Maldivian High Commission in Sri Lanka and the actions of the Maldivian government overseas. The party emphasized that the actions exceeded the usual security measures generally performed before high-level visits.

The MDP demanded an instant cessation of what it termed as harassment and monitoring of Maldivians residing abroad, emphasizing that Maldivians outside the country have the right to all protections promised by the Constitution. The party additionally called on the government to completely reveal its actions during the visit and guarantee that no individual faces illegal actions for voicing political views.